Goals Going Gone

One of the interesting effects I’ve observed with the awakening process is the falling away of goals. Not typically all goals, but the vast majority gradually fade away as no longer relevant.

This is a very good thing, due to several factors.

For one, when there is a profound sense of peace and freedom, followed by abiding happiness, we lose the need to seek fulfilment outside of ourselves.

Also, when the impressions (vasanas) that drive us to desires and seeking fall away, many of the needs-driven goals for possessions or accomplishment drop away. Also over time the shoulds and musts, etc.

As the sense of me and mine lose centre stage, life seems to just happen of its own accord. Soon we learn to trust this process and there is less and less call for self-centred doing. We step out of playing roles into just playing. (how long this takes varies)

Along with this, our desires become clearer and cleaner. Combined with the rising support of nature, desires are fulfilled much more quickly and smoothly. Gradually it develops that what you need simply shows up without effort.

We become driven more by the “need of the time” or the divine than any personal stories or agendas. We spontaneously act or feel called to do certain things a me might never have considered.

We also learn to resolve karmic baggage more energetically within, rather than having to live it out in various circumstances and dramas.

This leaves us with a much simpler set of drivers. What is actually important for us becomes clear. It can be surprising what falls away and what stays.

If there is still a family to support, a business to run and so forth, these changes may not be as obvious to others. Those needs will still drive us to act. But for the person experiencing the shift, the distinction is certainly noticed.

Life becomes so much less cluttered and distracted and we’re able to enjoy what is here now. This may come on gradually in a way we only recognize in retrospect. Or it may come suddenly.

Compare this to someone running in a survival mode that is entirely basic needs driven. Or someone in Tribal, driven by a need to fit in and meet the perceived needs of our peers. Or someone who’s life is entirely driven by stories about the past or future and expectations of the story. All of them are distracted by other, away from what is here now.

We can also look at the Yoga Sutras. They outline some of the changes that arise as self-serving tendencies of a person fall away. (Ch.2 v35-39)

2:35 Where non-injury is established, in the vicinity of that, hostile tendencies [enemies] are eliminated.